Morphological characterization of 18 varieties of local rice in Mozambique

The morphological characterization of 18 rice varieties in Mozambique is essential to identify and preserve genetic diversity, selecting high-yielding varieties that are adaptable to our country's ecosystem and can support future breeding programs for sustainable agriculture. For this study, the most produced varieties in our country were chosen, as they are drought tolerant and have a good smell. The study was carried out at the Regional Research Center of Leadership for Rice/IIAM using a randomized block design with three replications. Sixteen descriptors were analyzed, of which six were qualitative characteristics (ligule color, auricle color, leaf color, flag leaf posture, stalk growth habit and leaf pubescence) and ten were quantitative characteristics (flowering days, full flowering days, stalk length, stalk diameter, panicle length, number of tillers, fertile tillers, harvest days, 1000 grain weight). The statistical package RStudio version 4.5.0 was used for data analysis. Regarding productivity, there was a statistical difference between the averages and the Simão variety presented the highest productivity, 2,614.17 kg/ha. Mahalanobis distancing was used because it allows quantifying the degree of dissimilarity between different genotypes based on multiple morphological characters. The Manhattan distance analysis identified genetic diversity among varieties, where the largest distances observed between Humwenhe and Simão (1245.085), Nene and Simão (1215.392) and others. Cluster analysis grouped the varieties into four distinct groups. highlighting potential crosses for breeding programs. These findings provide valuable insights for rice genetic improvement and conservation efforts.